Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on the brink of forming the next government in Odisha, marking a historic shift in the state's political landscape. As the counting of votes progresses, the BJP has established comfortable leads in 79 Assembly constituencies, surpassing the majority mark in the 147-member Assembly.
According to the latest trends, BJP candidates are leading in 79 Assembly seats, significantly ahead of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which has leads in 50 seats. The Congress party is leading in 15 seats, showing an improved performance, while the CPI(M) and an Independent candidate are each ahead in one seat.
Assembly Elections Overview:
To form the government in Odisha, a party needs to secure at least 74 seats. The BJP, having crossed this threshold, is on course to govern the state independently for the first time. Historically, the BJP had shared power with the BJD from 2000 to 2009, but this time the saffron party is set to rule on its own.
The BJD, under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has been at the helm since 2000, faced a significant blow. Despite Patnaik leading in both Hinjili and Kantabanji Assembly constituencies, several heavyweight leaders, including at least eight ministers, are trailing. Patnaik was aiming for a sixth term to become India’s longest-serving Chief Minister, surpassing former Sikkim CM Pawan Kumar Chamling’s record.
In the 2019 elections, the BJD had won a comfortable majority with 112 seats, while the BJP secured 23 seats. This year's elections, held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls in four phases from May 13 to June 1, have dramatically altered the political scenario.
Major Upsets and Factors
A major upset occurred in Ganjam district, Patnaik's stronghold. Out of 13 seats in Ganjam, the BJP won 11, while the BJD and Congress each won one seat. Analysts attribute the BJD's poor performance to the "Pandian factor," referring to controversies surrounding V. Karthikeyan Pandian, the private secretary to the Chief Minister, which led to a decline in voter confidence.
BJP’s Strategy and Congress’ Revival
The BJP's strategic campaigning and effective resource mobilization have been key to their success, focusing on "Odia Asmita" (Odia pride) issues. The Congress, while trailing, showed signs of revival with a notable increase in its seat count particularly in South Odisha and tribal belts.
Lok Sabha Elections Results
The BJP also made significant gains in the Lok Sabha elections, heading to sweep with a substantial lead in 19 of 21 seats. BJD and Congress have managed one Lok Sabha seat each in the state.
Prominent leaders who secured victories include:
- Dharmendra Pradhan from Sambalpur, defeating BJD's Pranab Prakash Das.
- Jual Oram from Sundargarh, defeating Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey.
- Pratap Sarangi from Balasore, defeating BJD's Lekhashree Samantsinghar and Congress's Srikant Jena.
- Baijayant Panda from Kendrapara, defeating BJD's Anshuman Mohanty.
- Sambit Patra from Puri, after a determined campaign.
- Aparajita Sarangi from Bhubaneswar, poised to win her seat.
BJD’s Setbacks
Top BJD leaders who faced defeat include:
- Pranab Prakash Das from Sambalpur, defeated by Dharmendra Pradhan.
- Satrupta Mishra from Cuttack, defeated by a six-time MP who recently joined the BJP.
- Arup Patnaik from Puri, defeated by Sambit Patra.
Assembly Seat Defeats
Notable leaders who lost their Assembly seats include:
- Dilip Ray, former Union Minister, defeated by BJD's Sarada Prasad Nayak in Rourkela.
- Ashok Chandra Panda, BJD leader and Minister, defeated by BJP’s Babu Singh in Bhubaneswar Ekamra.
- Sanjay Das Burma lost from Satyabadi Assembly seat.
- Rohit Pujari lost to BJP's Jayanarayan Mishra from Sambalpur.
- Bikram Keshari Arukh lost from Bhanjanagar Assembly seat.
- Former Minister Pradip Kumar Amat was defeated by Saroj Kumar Pradhan from Boudh Assembly constituency.
- Former Minister Ramesh Majhi lost from the Jharigam Assembly segment.
As the BJP celebrates its historic gains and the BJD faces an unexpected setback, Odisha's political dynamics are poised for significant change.
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